Earl Raab Award

Earl Raab, z”l, is one of the Jewish community’s most widely recognized and respected community leaders and intellectuals. He was a preeminent sociologist, civil rights activist, public intellectual and a leading voice for American Jewish advocacy. Mr. Raab was also a prolific commentator and author on American political culture and the Jewish experience in America. He directed the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) from 1951-1987 and, after retiring, served as the founding director of the Perlmutter Institute for Jewish Advocacy at Brandeis University.

While at the JCRC, he recognized the importance of having a strong, unified voice in Sacramento to better the lives of those in our community, and helped to found JPAC.

Earl Raab’s Writings

Articles »

Books »

Read Rabbi Doug Kahn’s March 26, 2009 editorial about Earl Raab in The J. – The Jewish News of Northern California.

The Earl Raab Award is awarded annually to a community activist who best exemplifies Mr. Raab’s high standard of communal activism and advocacy for residents of our state.

Past Award Recipients

2023: Allison Gingold (video)

2022: Lynn Bunim (video)

2019: Cece Feiler

2018: Jerilyn Gelt

2017: Harvey Schloss

2016: Rabbi Doug Kahn

2015: Jon Levinson

2014: Floyd Glen-Lambert

2013: Michael Sweet

2012: Felice Zencius

2011: Michael Futterman

2010: David O. Levine

2009: Nancy Goldberg

2008: Stanley Kandel

2007: Norma Satten

2006: Jackie Berman/Susan Mogul

2005: No award given

2004: Barbara Yaroslavsky

2003: Carol Velarde

2002: David A. Lehrer

2001: Natalie Berg

2000: Howard Welinsky

1999: Earl Raab

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